In designer Bruno Munari's world, a book can be a sculpture or a toy. He sees the book as an object which holds expressive potential in its form. Looking at things through Munari’s eyes is like looking through a kaleidoscope, everything has the potential to transform or be replaced or questioned. Find out what shaped the beautiful mind of this celebrated Italian designer and artist in part 1 of this audio essay. Show notes, transcript, and image gallery are at robinmitchellcranfield.com⁠. 

This essay is adapted from public talk for Italian Design Weeks at Emily Carr University, on Munari's Unreadable Books, his Useless Machines, his children's books, and his public art workshops called "Little Green Riding Hood", which is available on YouTube.⁠